In recent days, public opinion has been stirred up by the discovery of thousands of tons of bean sprouts soaked in the banned substance 6-Benzylaminopurine that have been sold on the market. Even large chain stores are consuming bean sprouts soaked in chemicals originating from facilities in Buon Ma Thuot City.
Faced with this information, consumers cannot help but worry about their family's health and seek ways to identify chemically soaked bean sprouts that may be widely sold on the market.
Here's how to distinguish chemically soaked bean sprouts and traditional bean sprouts with the naked eye:
Bean sprouts soaked in chemicals
To shorten the incubation time of bean sprouts, facilities often soak them in 6-Benzylaminopurine (BAP). This substance is slightly soluble in neutral or acidic water, but soluble in alkaline.
Characteristics of chemically soaked bean sprouts are that they have few roots or short roots, and a white, shiny stem.
Bean sprouts soaked in chemicals can be fat or long and thin, but the common characteristic is that the stems are brittle and break easily. The texture is spongy, the taste is bland, and there is no aroma.
When you buy bean sprouts, you can wash them with baking soda, lime water or highly alkaline water from alkaline ion water purifiers.
Clean bean sprouts
In the traditional way of incubation, bean sprouts need 3-5 days to grow. The sprouts are about 3-7cm long, with many roots and long roots because the plant has to stretch to absorb water.
Clean bean sprouts are white with a hint of light yellow. The color of the sprouts may be uneven. Clean bean sprouts left for too long often have dark roots, speckled with bruises, black spots...
Bean sprouts can be thick or long, depending on the fermentation technique. The stems are firm, hard to break, and have a sweet taste.
